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How to Say ‘I just started.’ in French

Je viens de commencer.

zhuh vee-ehn duh koh-mahn-SAY

[zhuh vee-ehn duh koh-mahn-SAY]

💬 Usage Tip: [Je viens de + verb] means you just did something: [je viens de commencer] = 'I just started.' You can reuse it with other actions, like [je viens d'arriver].

Phrase Breakdown

Je

[zhuh]

I

Subject pronoun meaning I.

Example

Je réponds : « Je viens de commencer. »

I reply: “I just started.”

viens

[vee-ehn]

come

From venir; in venir de + infinitive, it means have just done something.

Example

Dans « Je viens de commencer », « viens » fait partie de l'expression have just.

In “I just started,” “viens” is part of the expression meaning have just.

de

[duh]

to

In the expression venir de + infinitive, it helps mean have just.

Example

Dans « Je viens de commencer », « de » relie au verbe suivant.

In “I just started,” “de” links to the next verb.

commencer

[koh-mahn-SAY]

start

Infinitive meaning to start or begin.

Example

Je dis « Je viens de commencer » quand je suis nouveau au bureau.

I say “I just started” when I am new at the office.

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